Letters to the editor: 10/14

Blame Senate Dems, Obama for impasse

The media seem to be perpetuating the myth that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives caused the government shutdown. The House, in fact, passed a bill that funded every government expenditure and program except Obamacare. The Democratic-controlled Senate refused to pass this bill. Virtually every Republican in the Senate voted to approve the funding bill. So to be precise, Senate Democrats shut down the federal government.

President Barack Obama insists in his public comments that the House has a responsibility if not an obligation to fund Obamacare, as it is a federal law - the implication being that they are ignoring or breaking the law. He perhaps should review the Constitution. According to the Constitution, all spending bills are to originate in the House of Representatives. They control the operational purse strings of the federal government and their actions are totally consistent with the Constitution of the United States.

The more appropriate action by the Senate Democrats would have been to approve the bill and keep the federal government operating, then negotiate funding for Obamacare. If the president then disagreed with the bill, he could have vetoed it.

President Obama has said he will not negotiate or make concessions, yet that is precisely what the founders of our country intended with the system of checks and balance and separation of powers built into the structure of our government. Perhaps he should keep that in mind. We do not live in a dictatorship.

John Neno

Poughkeepsie

Arlington fire budget keeps rising

The Arlington Fire District's budget proposal is up $258,000 from last year. It is now at $16.2 million. The overtime proposal is $2 million for 2014.

There are indications that the district is paying more than fair market value for the rental of Croft Corners and Rochdale firehouses, which is owned by the volunteers. Two of the fire commissioners are members of the Croft Volunteer Firehouse and one of the commissioners signs the rental contract with the district.

These monies can be used as the houses see fit. The cost to the fire district is approximately $100,000 per year, plus utilities.

Monies are wasted, and some of the fire trucks, vans and ambulances are used to run to the corner store and get food for lunch or supper, even though there are kitchens in the houses. Their excuses are weak.

Only one out of five commissioners voted to keep the budget flat or lower, as it was voted to rise more than a quarter of a million dollars.

There will be a public hearing on this proposed budget at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Red Oaks Mill Firehouse on Vassar Road. Come and hear what you will be paying for!

Joe Armstrong

Poughkeepsie

Gelb's work has helped Rhinebeck

I am co-chair of the Open Space and Affordable Housing Committee of the Town of Rhinebeck, and, having worked very closely with Joe Gelb, I would like to offer my public support for his candidacy for the Rhinebeck Town Board.

Joe Gelb has been liaison to our committee for the past two years. Joe has worked closely with the committee in negotiating and drafting an agreement with the Gardens, a new condominium development in Rhinebeck, to provide subsidized workforce housing units in that development. Workforce housing and affordable housing are similar concepts, except that workforce housing emphasizes housing for those who live or work in the community.

In addition, Joe has worked with the committee in drafting a proposed local law to provide for affordable housing in Rhinebeck. Such housing is one of the goals of the Town of Rhinebeck Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2009.

Joe, who is a retired attorney, is tireless in his work effort, and I believe that the legal work that he has provided to our committee would have cost tens of thousands of dollars if our committee had needed to hire an outside attorney to accomplish the tasks the town has asked us to complete.

It is my belief that Joe's legal training provides an important skill set that our committee is benefiting from, and I hope he will be continued in office.

Jonathan Mensch

Rhinebeck

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Letters to the editor: 10/14

The media seem to be perpetuating the myth that the Republican-controlled House of Representatives caused the government shutdown. The House, in fact, passed a bill that funded every government